We wrote to the new Prime Minister to congratulate him on the role. See below or here for the text of the letter.
Dear Prime Minister,
Congratulations on your appointment as Prime Minister. I wish you and your Cabinet every success as you take on the enormous responsibility of leading our country.
As Convenor of Centenary Action, the cross-party coalition working towards a diverse and gender-equal Parliament, I look forward to working with you and your government to build on the progress that has already been made and accelerate the pace of change.
You have long recognised the importance of women’s voices being heard at every level of decision-making. Our work through GM4Women2028, which you and your team have supported from its inception, shows how data, lived experience, dialogue with policymakers and collective action can expose barriers and drive change.
Nationally, we should celebrate how far we have come. Women now make up 41 per cent of MPs, the highest proportion in our history, and have held some of the most senior government positions. As you said today, ‘Britain needs a better standard of politics.’ That ambition can only be realised if our politics better reflects the people it serves, with women having an equal voice in the decisions that shape our country. It is equally important that women are represented not only in Parliament but in the most senior positions of government. When women hold the great offices of state and other key ministerial roles, they bring invaluable experience, perspectives and leadership to national decision-making. Visible female leadership also sends a powerful message to future generations that public service and political leadership are open to everyone.
However women in public life experience misogyny, intimidation and abuse. Many face difficulties combining politics with caring responsibilities, alongside outdated expectations, irrelevant scrutiny and unequal access to networks and, as you know, the culture and practices of Parliament often exclude and deter women. Alongside our coalition we are working with your colleagues in government and Parliament to address these barriers and create a politics that is more inclusive and welcoming to women.
My great-grandmother Emmeline, and particularly my grandmother Sylvia, would have been proud of how far we have come and would have wished you courage in your leadership. But Sylvia would also have reminded us that ‘great is the work that remains to be accomplished’.
I believe we share the goal of a gender-equal Parliament and I would greatly welcome the opportunity to meet you to discuss how Centenary Action, and our wider coalition, can work with your government on this vital aim. With the centenary of equal franchise now less than two years away, we have a unique opportunity, and a responsibility, to accelerate progress towards equal representation.
Kind regards,
Helen Pankhurst CBE
Convenor, Centenary Action